Symbols of Russia and Russians are quite diverse. There are only three official, i.e. authorized by law, symbols of the state - the flag, emblem and anthem. The State Seal of the Russian Federation is an official state symbol and the state’s official emblem.
The number of informal symbols, which are often much more famous and popular, could be divided into the following groups:
a)they usually support the social myths and political illusions (bear, vodka, KGB, Kalashnikov’s gun)
b) they are associated with the national every day culture (matryoshka, babalaika, samovar, a hat with ear- flaps, three-horse sled, birch tree etc. )
c) historical (connected with some historical events)
d) cultural (connected with traditions and culture of Russia)
e)linguistic-and -cross-cultural (Such special Russian words which are difficult to accurately translate:
«тоска», «воля», «совесть», «болит душа», «недоперепить» и другие
(For example, the word "тоска" could be traslated as “anguish”, “sorrow”, “grief ", but no one is correct))
Propagandistic- and- stereotyped symbols created by foreigners.
Foreigners have lots of wrong and misleading stereotypes, political illusions, and social myths about Russian life due to the old Cold War politics and Western media (the news, newspapers, magazines, TV, movies, radio, etc.) propaganda which often created a sense of fear of the Russians (previous Soviets). As an example of this: how many negative stereotypes of Russians / Soviets were depicted only in Hollywood movies Rocky IV, From Russia With Love, Spies Like Us, Rambo & Iron Eagle, The Bourne Supremacy, The Saint, Salt.
After such propaganda brain-wash, it is not wonder that some foreigners still see Russia as a dangerous enemy and an “Empire of Evil”. (By the way, in my opinion, Russia is now second-place after Muslims for being “evil”, “all of them being terrorists”). The false judgement is actually very insulting (I speak for the Muslims as well). Others consider Russia a remote, snowed-up country full of bears and KGB where drunk Russians playing the balalaika amidst matryoshkas and samovars. It is hardly worth saying today that contemporary life in Russia has very little to do with any of that. What can I say? Never believe stereotypes! It’s much better to visit Russia and look at it with your own eyes.
VODKA(Ксения Володичева)
Yes, vodka is the most well-known of Russian alcohol.
Yes, most Russians prefer their traditional national vodka than other alcohol (like Mexicans like tequila and Germans love their schnapps).
Yes, a lot of Russians do like vodka BUT not everyone. Many women and some men can’t stand vodka.
Yes, Russians drink vodka BUT not every day – just on occasion (birthday, holiday, wedding, etc.). I was in many different countries and honestly, Russians don’t drink any more than the common Canadians/Americans, French or Germans. They drink just different products of alcohol.
When and where was vodka invented?
According to one of the legends, the monks of Moscow’s monastery were the first who started producing Russian vodka. After their visit to Constantinople where they tasted grape spirit, they started making the first ever hooch. As there were no grapes growing in their land the spirit was made of grain. They called this drink “aqua vitae” (Latin for “water of life” ). It was a prototype of the present-day vodka. The word vodka was derived from the word “voda” (meaning water).It by no means that Russians drink more vodka than water. And the whole myth of vodka being cheaper than water is also nonsense.
BEAR(Наталия Гребёнкина)
The bear has long been associated with Russia. Some western explorer discovering Russia about six centuries ago wrote of some remote town full of bears roaming the streets, and the barbaric Russian “medved’” firmly gripped Western’s imagination.
So the Russian bear cliché stepped in from the West, and since the 18th century it has been mainly a derogatory image of Russian emperors (and then other Russian leaders) in Western political cartoons and caricatures. ItshouldreflectbarbarityandaggressionofRussia.
Yet inside Russia, the bear has a different reputation, and this animal has had positive connotations to all Slavs. Pre-Christian Slavs believed the bear to be their common ancestor.
“Medved’” (bear) is one of the heroes of many Slavic legends and fairytales. Russians tenderly give the bear a human name of Misha (sometimes adding a patronymic name out of respect - hence, Mikhail Potapych). By the way, “medved’” (“med” - honey, “vedat’”- to know) literally means “the one who knows where the honey is.”
Bears live throughout Russia. Of course, you will not see bears roaming the streets of towns and cities, but you can see their images everywhere. They are on countless Russian town shields as a symbol of strength and courage.
The lovable little bear cub Misha was chosen to be Russia’s mascot in the 1980 Summer Olympic Games held in Moscow and became a favourite hero of children’s cartoon for years.
Recently the bear was adopted as the ubiquitous symbol for the United Russia.
The bear has become a male role model on the pages of Russia’s first ever men’s glossy fittingly entitled “Medved’”.
Bear symbology reached its peak when D.Medvedev became the President of Russia. (InRussian, Medvedevliterallymeans, “ofthebears.”)
MATRESHKA (Роза Жукова)
Matryoshka is the most famous symbol of Russia and the most popular Russian souvenir all around the World. It is a set of wooden dolls nested into each other. The painted image on them is most often a woman wearing traditional Russian costume decorated with flowers and patterns. It seems that the matryoshka has come to us from the antic world of legends and fairy tales, though in reality the wooden doll is only about hundred years in existence.
Matryoshka was first made in Russia at the end of the 19th century (precisely in the 1880s), when Russia was experiencing a rising sense of culture and national identity. The industrialist and patron of the arts, SavvaMamontov, established a Children’s Education workshop where Russian folk craftsmen produced a variety of folk-art style toys for children and developed the idea of the creation of a new Russian style. Once somebody has brought a funny Japanese figurine of a bald-headed old man Fukuruma, which consisted of seven other figurines nestled one another. It was made on the island of Honshu, Japan in the late 1800s by an unknown Russian monk.
Really, this type of nesting toys was well known before - Russian crafters turned wooden Easter eggs and apples, but not figurines. With the arrival of the Russian-Japanese "Fukuruma" thecraftman V. Zvezdochkin and artist S.Maliutin were inspired to create a new Russian folk art doll - matryoshka. In April of 1900, matryoshka was represented at the World fair in Paris, where it won the bronze medal and worldwide fame.
The name "matryoshka" comes from the Russian word for “mother” - «мать» (the Latin root “mater “- mother). Matryoshka has come to mean “little mother” based on the idea that the largest doll holds her babies inside like an expectant mother and that each daughter in turn becomes a mother. So matryoshka is a symbol of motherhood and it has a modified egg shape. The names Matryona and Matryosha were common female names in Russian country to the Revolution of 1917. The suffix -eshka (or –ushka-) is frequently used in Russian to denote a diminutive form of a name.
BALALAIKA(Екатерина Зайцева)
The balalaika is a plucking string instrument that resembles a guitar, but has a triangular shape and only three strings (or two in some cases).
I am not a musician and it is difficult to explain, but when you hear balalaika’s sounds, you at once think of Russia. There is something deeply Russian, typical folk and traditional in it. It is quiet and delicate, gently filling you with the essence of Russia.
Unfortunately, today the balalaika has disappeared from Russians’ everyday life almost completely. There aren’t many people left who can play it – not to mention, only professional musicians in Russian folk music ensembles. The first mention of the term "balalaika" was in a Russian document from 1688 - balalaika was used by Russian peasants, skomorohki, or wandering minstrels. It existed in various forms with triangular and oval bodies, differing numbers of strings, and movable tied-on string frets, and was mainly used for playing dance tunes. The modern variant of instrument - standardized, three-string chromatic triangular-bodied balalaika with fixed metal frets and other innovations - was created back in 1880 by Vasilii Andreev.
SAMOVAR(Виолетта Коннова)
Samovar has traditionally been the most recognized symbol of Russian hospitality and family comfort as well as a sign of prosperity. For more than 250 years, the samovar has occupied an honored place in Russian homes as the centerpiece of the table, around which life revolved. Step by step a peculiar ritual of tea-drinking emerged and was adopted in every Russian home - people gathered to have tea parties and provided the right atmosphere for friendly conversation and sharing news, stories, and fellowship. Thus, samovar had both a practical and an emotional function.
. The Russian word samovar literally means “self-boiling.” The vessel consists of a metal container for boiling the water and a fire-pan with a tube. The first samovar was made in Tula (an old city to the south of Moscow) in 1778, and since that time Tula is known as the centre of Russian samovar production.
Russian samovars vary in both interior construction and an exterior decoration, as well as in purpose.
The samovars can have different shapes: vase-shaped, pear-shaped, wine-glass-shaped and others.
They can be made of different metals - copper, iron, silver, silver plating on copper, steеl, cast iron, and their decoration testifies to different stylistic art trends.
Today Russians still use the samovar, but mostly as an attribute of exotics and nostalgia. Though samovars are no more an integral part of modern life in Russia, they remain a symbol of family’s warmth and cozyness, cordial get-togethers and traditional festivities.
Actual Russian symbols with internal national connotations:
In 13th century KievanRus’ was attacked by Mongol Empire. The separate armies of principalities were defeated one by one. As a result most of the Russian principalities were vassalized by Mongol Empire. This was a seminal moment in Russian history, which defined its future development for centuries
Epoch of Peter the Great
In 1682 tsarPeterstartedtoreigninRussia. He believed that only through intensive contacts with Europe and European style reforms Russia can be successfully developed. Peter the Great forced the development of Russia; under his rule Russia became powerful state armed with modern institutions and technologies.
The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution of 1917 is also called the Bolshevik Revolution or the October Revolution. In 1917 there were actually two revolutions in Russia. One was the February Revolution in which the Tsar abdicated his throne and the Provisional Government took power. The other was the October Revolution in which the Provisional Government was overthrown by the Bolsheviks.
Great Patriotic War (WWII)
The World War Two was a transformative event for Russia. Although Russia lost more than 20 Mln people in a lengthy and costly war of survival, Russia destroyed Nazis and ended World War 2 as a super-power.
Space Exploration 1960s
Russians had a number of pioneering accomplishments in space flight, including the satellite, first animal in space, first human in space and Earth orbit (cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and first women-cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova), first Moon impact (1959) and unmanned landing, first space station, and first interplanetary probe.
The collapse of the USSR
Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin were the important figures who did a lot against Russian people. Their fighting for the power and sick ambitions led to the collapse of the country. They completely destroyed USSR - its social, economical and cultural life. Getting a position of a President and proclaiming the democratic freedoms, Yeltsin and his team grabbed Russia as much as he could. It was a crazy time with no rules, no definitions, and no morals.
Cultural: (Анастасия Семеева)
BREAD-SALT
“Khleb-sol” ("bread-salt”) is the most famous symbols of Russian hospitality and the oldest cultural tradition of welcoming a visitor with a round loaf with a salt cellar on top. Bread and salt represent the giver’s wish that the recipient’s pantry will always be full.
Bread symbolizes key aspects of the national self-image.
ARCHITECTURE
A special place among the cultural symbols of Russian is occupied by its architectural monuments. The development of Russian culture is inseparably linked with religious tradition. Churches, cathedrals and monasteries constructed in different centuries reflect spirituality of Russia. The well-known around the world such cultural symbols of Russia as Basil’s Cathedral in the centre of Moscow and unique Church of Transfiguration in Kizhi.
BALLET
One of the most important cultural symbols of Russia is Russian school of classical ballet which is considered to be the best in the world. Classical ballet came into Russia in the 18th century. By the end of the 19th century the national school of ballet had finally formed. The world-known names of Russian ballet dancers are Anna Pavlova, Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaia, Michail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nuriev and others.
Official symbols:
FLAG(Полина Старцева)
The current Russian flag was adopted on August 21, 1991 just before the country became an independent state. Most historians trace the origin of Russia’s flag to Peter the Great. In 1699, out of hundreds of different flags, Peter selected the flag similar to the flag of the Netherlands - white, blue and red flag. His design was used as a Russian maritime flag for merchant ships and then it was adopted as the civil flag of Russia in 1883.
At that time, this flag symbolized goodwill, neighbourliness and peace.
There is no official meaning of to the Russian flag but Russian people create their own variants. Some Russians believe that white color symbolizes generosity and frankness; blue stands for loyalty, honesty and wisdom; red means courage, magnanimity and love. The other people think that red represents Russian people, blue - the Ukrainians, and white - the Belarusians. There is one more version: white is seen to be the color of moral purity, the Christian faith and eternity. Blue is the color of truth and the Mother of God, the protector of Russia, the Virgin. Red is the color of strength and life. Taken together, the flag represents the eternal Virgin and the Giver of Life.
STATECOAT-ARMS (Валерия Тюрина)
Contemporary State Emblem of Russia is a new emblem, but the parts of it are deeply traditional. The state emblem of Russia has the drawing of a gold two-headed eagle on the red field. This drawing of the eagle goes back to the images on the monuments of the Peter the Great epoch.
There are three historical crowns of Peter the Great above the two-headed eagle (they are symbols of the sovereignty both in Russia as a whole and in its parts). The eagle holds in claws sceptre and orb as embodiment of State power and united state. Some Russian explained this drawing in the following way: two heads mean the President (Medvedev) and Prime Minister (Putin) and three crowns symbolize the executive, legislative and judicial powers of Russia.
On its chest there is a horseman – Russian St. George – who is killing an evil snake with his spear. That is one of the oldest symbols of victory of Russia against all its enemies, symbol of the struggle of good against evil, light against gloom.
The final restoration of this symbol took place in 1993, when President Boris Yeltsin approved it as a national coat-of-arms.
ANTHEM(Диана Шеламова)
For a long time Russia had no anthem. The various church hymns and military marches were used to honour the Russia up to 1816, when the “Молитва русских“ ("Prayer of the Russians") by Russian poet
V. Zhukovskii was chosen as the national anthem.
The second official anthem “Боже, царя храни“ was presented in 1833, on December 25th , when the nation celebrated the expulsion of the French from Russia. That anthem existed until the October revolution of 1917 and was replaced to the new anthem of the victorious proletarian revolution - "International" - in 1918.
In 1944, people heard a new official Soviet anthem “Союз нерушимый республик свободных“ ("The Unbreakable Union of Freeborn Republics") on the radio. It was written by the composer A. Alexandrov and poets Sergei Mikhalkov and Garold El-Registan.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, in 1993, a government commission and President Yeltsin offered a new national anthem “ Патриотическая песня“ ("Patriotic Song") by M. Glinka. However this anthem was unpopular and didn’t inspire Russians. People preferred the old Soviet anthem instead of it.
On December, 2000, President Vladimir Putin approved the restoration of the music by A. Alexandrov and new variant of lyric by S. Mikhalkov, which evoked and eulogized the history and traditions of Russia.
1st stanza:
Russia, our holy country!
Russia, our beloved country!
A mighty will, a great glory,
Are your inheritance for all time!
Refrain:
Be glorious, our free Fatherland!
Eternal union of fraternal peoples,
Common wisdom given by our forebears,
Be glorious, our country! We are proud of you! 2nd stanza:
From the southern seas to the polar region
Spread our forests and fields.
You are unique in the world, inimitable,
Native land protected by God! 3rd stanza:
Wide spaces for dreams and for living
Are opened for us by the coming years
Faithfulness to our country gives us strength
Thus it was, so it is and always will be!
1 куплет:
Россия - священная наша держава!
Россия - любимая наша страна!
Могучая воля, великая слава -
Твое достоянье на все времена.
Припев:
Славься, Отечество наше свободное -
Братских народов союз вековой.
Предками данная мудрость народная,
Славься, страна! Мы гордимся тобой! 2 куплет:
От южных морей до полярного края
Раскинулись наши леса и поля.
Одна ты на свете! Одна ты такая!
Хранимая Богом родная земля.
3 куплет:
Широкий простор для мечты и для жизни,
Грядущие нам открывают года.
Нам силу дает наша верность Отчизне.
Так было, так есть и так будет всегда!
The number of informal symbols, which are often much more famous and popular, could be divided into the following groups:
a)they usually support the social myths and political illusions (bear, vodka, KGB, Kalashnikov’s gun)
b) they are associated with the national every day culture (matryoshka, babalaika, samovar, a hat with ear- flaps, three-horse sled, birch tree etc. )
c) historical (connected with some historical events)
d) cultural (connected with traditions and culture of Russia)
e)linguistic-and -cross-cultural (Such special Russian words which are difficult to accurately translate:
- «тоска», «воля», «совесть», «болит душа», «недоперепить» и другие
(For example, the word "тоска" could be traslated as “anguish”, “sorrow”, “grief ", but no one is correct))Propagandistic- and- stereotyped symbols created by foreigners.
Foreigners have lots of wrong and misleading stereotypes, political illusions, and social myths about Russian life due to the old Cold War politics and Western media (the news, newspapers, magazines, TV, movies, radio, etc.) propaganda which often created a sense of fear of the Russians (previous Soviets). As an example of this: how many negative stereotypes of Russians / Soviets were depicted only in Hollywood movies Rocky IV, From Russia With Love, Spies Like Us, Rambo & Iron Eagle, The Bourne Supremacy, The Saint, Salt.
After such propaganda brain-wash, it is not wonder that some foreigners still see Russia as a dangerous enemy and an “Empire of Evil”. (By the way, in my opinion, Russia is now second-place after Muslims for being “evil”, “all of them being terrorists”). The false judgement is actually very insulting (I speak for the Muslims as well). Others consider Russia a remote, snowed-up country full of bears and KGB where drunk Russians playing the balalaika amidst matryoshkas and samovars. It is hardly worth saying today that contemporary life in Russia has very little to do with any of that. What can I say? Never believe stereotypes! It’s much better to visit Russia and look at it with your own eyes.
VODKA (Ксения Володичева)
Yes, vodka is the most well-known of Russian alcohol.
Yes, most Russians prefer their traditional national vodka than other alcohol (like Mexicans like tequila and Germans love their schnapps).
Yes, a lot of Russians do like vodka BUT not everyone. Many women and some men can’t stand vodka.
Yes, Russians drink vodka BUT not every day – just on occasion (birthday, holiday, wedding, etc.). I was in many different countries and honestly, Russians don’t drink any more than the common Canadians/Americans, French or Germans. They drink just different products of alcohol.
When and where was vodka invented?
According to one of the legends, the monks of Moscow’s monastery were the first who started producing Russian vodka. After their visit to Constantinople where they tasted grape spirit, they started making the first ever hooch. As there were no grapes growing in their land the spirit was made of grain. They called this drink “aqua vitae” (Latin for “water of life” ). It was a prototype of the present-day vodka. The word vodka was derived from the word “voda” (meaning water).It by no means that Russians drink more vodka than water. And the whole myth of vodka being cheaper than water is also nonsense.
BEAR (Наталия Гребёнкина)
The bear has long been associated with Russia. Some western explorer discovering Russia about six centuries ago wrote of some remote town full of bears roaming the streets, and the barbaric Russian “medved’” firmly gripped Western’s imagination.
So the Russian bear cliché stepped in from the West, and since the 18th century it has been mainly a derogatory image of Russian emperors (and then other Russian leaders) in Western political cartoons and caricatures. ItshouldreflectbarbarityandaggressionofRussia.
Yet inside Russia, the bear has a different reputation, and this animal has had positive connotations to all Slavs. Pre-Christian Slavs believed the bear to be their common ancestor.
“Medved’” (bear) is one of the heroes of many Slavic legends and fairytales. Russians tenderly give the bear a human name of Misha (sometimes adding a patronymic name out of respect - hence, Mikhail Potapych). By the way, “medved’” (“med” - honey, “vedat’”- to know) literally means “the one who knows where the honey is.”
Bears live throughout Russia. Of course, you will not see bears roaming the streets of towns and cities, but you can see their images everywhere. They are on countless Russian town shields as a symbol of strength and courage.
The lovable little bear cub Misha was chosen to be Russia’s mascot in the 1980 Summer Olympic Games held in Moscow and became a favourite hero of children’s cartoon for years.
Recently the bear was adopted as the ubiquitous symbol for the United Russia.
The bear has become a male role model on the pages of Russia’s first ever men’s glossy fittingly entitled “Medved’”.
Bear symbology reached its peak when D.Medvedev became the President of Russia. (InRussian, Medvedevliterallymeans, “ofthebears.”)
MATRESHKA (Роза Жукова)
Matryoshka is the most famous symbol of Russia and the most popular Russian souvenir all around the World. It is a set of wooden dolls nested into each other. The painted image on them is most often a woman wearing traditional Russian costume decorated with flowers and patterns. It seems that the matryoshka has come to us from the antic world of legends and fairy tales, though in reality the wooden doll is only about hundred years in existence.
Matryoshka was first made in Russia at the end of the 19th century (precisely in the 1880s), when Russia was experiencing a rising sense of culture and national identity. The industrialist and patron of the arts, SavvaMamontov, established a Children’s Education workshop where Russian folk craftsmen produced a variety of folk-art style toys for children and developed the idea of the creation of a new Russian style. Once somebody has brought a funny Japanese figurine of a bald-headed old man Fukuruma, which consisted of seven other figurines nestled one another. It was made on the island of Honshu, Japan in the late 1800s by an unknown Russian monk.
Really, this type of nesting toys was well known before - Russian crafters turned wooden Easter eggs and apples, but not figurines. With the arrival of the Russian-Japanese "Fukuruma" thecraftman V. Zvezdochkin and artist S.Maliutin were inspired to create a new Russian folk art doll - matryoshka. In April of 1900, matryoshka was represented at the World fair in Paris, where it won the bronze medal and worldwide fame.
The name "matryoshka" comes from the Russian word for “mother” - «мать» (the Latin root “mater “- mother). Matryoshka has come to mean “little mother” based on the idea that the largest doll holds her babies inside like an expectant mother and that each daughter in turn becomes a mother. So matryoshka is a symbol of motherhood and it has a modified egg shape. The names Matryona and Matryosha were common female names in Russian country to the Revolution of 1917. The suffix -eshka (or –ushka-) is frequently used in Russian to denote a diminutive form of a name.
BALALAIKA (Екатерина Зайцева)
The balalaika is a plucking string instrument that resembles a guitar, but has a triangular shape and only three strings (or two in some cases).
I am not a musician and it is difficult to explain, but when you hear balalaika’s sounds, you at once think of Russia. There is something deeply Russian, typical folk and traditional in it. It is quiet and delicate, gently filling you with the essence of Russia.
Unfortunately, today the balalaika has disappeared from Russians’ everyday life almost completely. There aren’t many people left who can play it – not to mention, only professional musicians in Russian folk music ensembles.
The first mention of the term "balalaika" was in a Russian document from 1688 - balalaika was used by Russian peasants, skomorohki, or wandering minstrels. It existed in various forms with triangular and oval bodies, differing numbers of strings, and movable tied-on string frets, and was mainly used for playing dance tunes. The modern variant of instrument - standardized, three-string chromatic triangular-bodied balalaika with fixed metal frets and other innovations - was created back in 1880 by Vasilii Andreev.
SAMOVAR (Виолетта Коннова)
Samovar has traditionally been the most recognized symbol of Russian hospitality and family comfort as well as a sign of prosperity. For more than 250 years, the samovar has occupied an honored place in Russian homes as the centerpiece of the table, around which life revolved. Step by step a peculiar ritual of tea-drinking emerged and was adopted in every Russian home - people gathered to have tea parties and provided the right atmosphere for friendly conversation and sharing news, stories, and fellowship. Thus, samovar had both a practical and an emotional function.
. The Russian word samovar literally means “self-boiling.” The vessel consists of a metal container for boiling the water and a fire-pan with a tube. The first samovar was made in Tula (an old city to the south of Moscow) in 1778, and since that time Tula is known as the centre of Russian samovar production.
Russian samovars vary in both interior construction and an exterior decoration, as well as in purpose.
The samovars can have different shapes: vase-shaped, pear-shaped, wine-glass-shaped and others.
They can be made of different metals - copper, iron, silver, silver plating on copper, steеl, cast iron, and their decoration testifies to different stylistic art trends.
Today Russians still use the samovar, but mostly as an attribute of exotics and nostalgia. Though samovars are no more an integral part of modern life in Russia, they remain a symbol of family’s warmth and cozyness, cordial get-togethers and traditional festivities.
Actual Russian symbols with internal national connotations:
Historical: (1-3: Эльвира Минниханова; 4-6: Антонина Ожерельева)
Mongol-Tatar Yoke (invasion)
In 13th century KievanRus’ was attacked by Mongol Empire. The separate armies of principalities were defeated one by one. As a result most of the Russian principalities were vassalized by Mongol Empire. This was a seminal moment in Russian history, which defined its future development for centuries
Epoch of Peter the Great
In 1682 tsarPeterstartedtoreigninRussia. He believed that only through intensive contacts with Europe and European style reforms Russia can be successfully developed. Peter the Great forced the development of Russia; under his rule Russia became powerful state armed with modern institutions and technologies.
The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution of 1917 is also called the Bolshevik Revolution or the October Revolution. In 1917 there were actually two revolutions in Russia. One was the February Revolution in which the Tsar abdicated his throne and the Provisional Government took power. The other was the October Revolution in which the Provisional Government was overthrown by the Bolsheviks.
Great Patriotic War (WWII)
The World War Two was a transformative event for Russia. Although Russia lost more than 20 Mln people in a lengthy and costly war of survival, Russia destroyed Nazis and ended World War 2 as a super-power.
Space Exploration 1960s
Russians had a number of pioneering accomplishments in space flight, including the satellite, first animal in space, first human in space and Earth orbit (cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin and first women-cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova), first Moon impact (1959) and unmanned landing, first space station, and first interplanetary probe.
The collapse of the USSR
Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin were the important figures who did a lot against Russian people. Their fighting for the power and sick ambitions led to the collapse of the country. They completely destroyed USSR - its social, economical and cultural life. Getting a position of a President and proclaiming the democratic freedoms, Yeltsin and his team grabbed Russia as much as he could. It was a crazy time with no rules, no definitions, and no morals.
Cultural: (Анастасия Семеева)
BREAD-SALT
“Khleb-sol” ("bread-salt”) is the most famous symbols of Russian hospitality and the oldest cultural tradition of welcoming a visitor with a round loaf with a salt cellar on top. Bread and salt represent the giver’s wish that the recipient’s pantry will always be full.
Bread symbolizes key aspects of the national self-image.
ARCHITECTURE
A special place among the cultural symbols of Russian is occupied by its architectural monuments. The development of Russian culture is inseparably linked with religious tradition. Churches, cathedrals and monasteries constructed in different centuries reflect spirituality of Russia. The well-known around the world such cultural symbols of Russia as Basil’s Cathedral in the centre of Moscow and unique Church of Transfiguration in Kizhi.
BALLET
One of the most important cultural symbols of Russia is Russian school of classical ballet which is considered to be the best in the world. Classical ballet came into Russia in the 18th century. By the end of the 19th century the national school of ballet had finally formed. The world-known names of Russian ballet dancers are Anna Pavlova, Galina Ulanova, Maya Plisetskaia, Michail Baryshnikov, Rudolf Nuriev and others.
Official symbols:
FLAG (Полина Старцева)
The current Russian flag was adopted on August 21, 1991 just before the country became an independent state. Most historians trace the origin of Russia’s flag to Peter the Great. In 1699, out of hundreds of different flags, Peter selected the flag similar to the flag of the Netherlands - white, blue and red flag. His design was used as a Russian maritime flag for merchant ships and then it was adopted as the civil flag of Russia in 1883.
At that time, this flag symbolized goodwill, neighbourliness and peace.
There is no official meaning of to the Russian flag but Russian people create their own variants. Some Russians believe that white color symbolizes generosity and frankness; blue stands for loyalty, honesty and wisdom; red means courage, magnanimity and love. The other people think that red represents Russian people, blue - the Ukrainians, and white - the Belarusians. There is one more version: white is seen to be the color of moral purity, the Christian faith and eternity. Blue is the color of truth and the Mother of God, the protector of Russia, the Virgin. Red is the color of strength and life. Taken together, the flag represents the eternal Virgin and the Giver of Life.
STATECOAT-ARMS (Валерия Тюрина)
Contemporary State Emblem of Russia is a new emblem, but the parts of it are deeply traditional. The state emblem of Russia has the drawing of a gold two-headed eagle on the red field. This drawing of the eagle goes back to the images on the monuments of the Peter the Great epoch.
There are three historical crowns of Peter the Great above the two-headed eagle (they are symbols of the sovereignty both in Russia as a whole and in its parts). The eagle holds in claws sceptre and orb as embodiment of State power and united state. Some Russian explained this drawing in the following way: two heads mean the President (Medvedev) and Prime Minister (Putin) and three crowns symbolize the executive, legislative and judicial powers of Russia.
On its chest there is a horseman – Russian St. George – who is killing an evil snake with his spear. That is one of the oldest symbols of victory of Russia against all its enemies, symbol of the struggle of good against evil, light against gloom.
The final restoration of this symbol took place in 1993, when President Boris Yeltsin approved it as a national coat-of-arms.
ANTHEM (Диана Шеламова)
For a long time Russia had no anthem. The various church hymns and military marches were used to honour the Russia up to 1816, when the “Молитва русских“ ("Prayer of the Russians") by Russian poet
V. Zhukovskii was chosen as the national anthem.
The second official anthem “Боже, царя храни“ was presented in 1833, on December 25th , when the nation celebrated the expulsion of the French from Russia. That anthem existed until the October revolution of 1917 and was replaced to the new anthem of the victorious proletarian revolution - "International" - in 1918.
In 1944, people heard a new official Soviet anthem “Союз нерушимый республик свободных“ ("The Unbreakable Union of Freeborn Republics") on the radio. It was written by the composer A. Alexandrov and poets Sergei Mikhalkov and Garold El-Registan.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, in 1993, a government commission and President Yeltsin offered a new national anthem “ Патриотическая песня“ ("Patriotic Song") by M. Glinka. However this anthem was unpopular and didn’t inspire Russians. People preferred the old Soviet anthem instead of it.
On December, 2000, President Vladimir Putin approved the restoration of the music by A. Alexandrov and new variant of lyric by S. Mikhalkov, which evoked and eulogized the history and traditions of Russia.
1st stanza:
Russia, our holy country!
Russia, our beloved country!
A mighty will, a great glory,
Are your inheritance for all time!
Refrain:
Be glorious, our free Fatherland!
Eternal union of fraternal peoples,
Common wisdom given by our forebears,
Be glorious, our country! We are proud of you!
2nd stanza:
From the southern seas to the polar region
Spread our forests and fields.
You are unique in the world, inimitable,
Native land protected by God!
3rd stanza:
Wide spaces for dreams and for living
Are opened for us by the coming years
Faithfulness to our country gives us strength
Thus it was, so it is and always will be!
1 куплет:
Россия - священная наша держава!
Россия - любимая наша страна!
Могучая воля, великая слава -
Твое достоянье на все времена.
Припев:
Славься, Отечество наше свободное -
Братских народов союз вековой.
Предками данная мудрость народная,
Славься, страна! Мы гордимся тобой!
2 куплет:
От южных морей до полярного края
Раскинулись наши леса и поля.
Одна ты на свете! Одна ты такая!
Хранимая Богом родная земля.
3 куплет:
Широкий простор для мечты и для жизни,
Грядущие нам открывают года.
Нам силу дает наша верность Отчизне.
Так было, так есть и так будет всегда!